1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to the field of food preparation and warming, specifically to a warming system that transfers heat to comestible goods and maintains the comestible goods at an increased temperature.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the food service industry, various means are used for keeping comestible or edible goods at a specific elevated temperature. In particular, if a comparably high volume of comestible goods are to be served, for example in a hospital, warming devices and systems that use devices known as “pellets” are commonly employed for transferring heat to plates on which the comestible goods are arranged. Usually, such pellets have a top surface which is adapted to receive a plate with comestible goods on it. The pellets can be arranged as trays or can be part of trays on which the plates with the comestible goods are arranged.
In order to allow for efficient service procedures, such pellets or corresponding trays have to satisfy several requirements. For example, usually the pellets or trays are previously heated in suitable oven like apparatuses before the comestible goods are placed on the heated pellets or trays afterwards. Therefore, it is highly desirable that the pellets or trays have good heat storage and good head transfer properties that allow for the efficient long term warming of the comestible goods. Additionally, in order to allow for the easy handling and maintenance of the pellets or trays, they should be robust, light weight and safe to use in standard dish washers. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,428,080, a pellet is described that is made from a thermoset polyester resin.
However, while the pellets and trays of the prior art have had their particular successes, they are not without their own specific drawbacks with regard to any of the above mentioned requirements. In particular, the heating of pellets or trays as is taught in the prior art is often a time consuming and laborious process.
Therefore, what is needed is a warming device and system for transferring heat to comestible goods that is safe and efficient to use, particularly with regard to the initial heating of the warming device.